Aggregate feed for road surfacing machinery



Jan. 11, 1966 H. A. CARTWRIGHT AGGREGATE FEED FOR ROAD SURFACING MACHINERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 18, 1962 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 1966 H. A. CARTWRIGHT 3,228,310

AGGREGATE FEED FOR ROAD SURFACING MACHINERY Filed Oct. 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR :FI 38 Homace A .CAQTuJmeHT WW? W ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1966 H. A. CARTWRIGHT 3,228,310

AGGREGATE FEED FOR ROAD SURFACING MACHINERY Filed Oct. 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 F: 6.6 Fae?! INVENTOR HorzAca A .CHRTLDEJGHT BY: 4,, @ME MD ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1966 H. A. CARTWRIGHT 3,228,310

AGGREGATE FEED FOR ROAD SURFACING MACHINERY Filed Oct. 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I16. IO 4 25A INVENTOR. HorzAce ACAQTwmeHT wwlw United States Patent 3,228,310 AGGREGATE FEED FOR ROAD SURFACING MACHINERY Horace A. Cartwright, Tulsa, Okla. (1166 Timberlake Drive, Lynchburg, Va. 24505) Filed Oct. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,396 23 Claims. (Cl. 94-44) This invention relates generally to the class of Road Surfacing and Maintenance Machinery and this application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Serial No. 858,913 for Road Maintenance Device, filed Dec. 11,1959.

The .present invention relates particularly to improvements in apparatus for spreading aggregate onto a road surface and it is an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for this purpose which will spread the aggregate in a layer of even thickness or constant depth and avoiding the formation of a washboard effect such as is produced by many other types of Spreaders.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved aggregate spreader mechanism for operation in combination with spray coating apparatus, for depositing or laying down a layer or blanket of aggregate of constant depth or thickness onto the coating material discharged onto a road surface in advance of the aggregate spreader.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in road surfacing machinery, an improved aggregate spreader mechanism having novel adjustment means whereby the depth or thickness of a layer or coating of aggregate may be changed expeditiously as required.

The invention has for still another object to provide an aggregate spreader mechanism for use upon and in association with road maintenance mechanism, particularly mechanism having apparatus for discharging a fluid coating, such as bitumen, on the road surface, having rotary means for expelling or ejecting aggregate material from a hopper onto a road surfaw and which rotary means is operatively coupled with and driven by a road surface engaging wheel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in mechanism of the foregoing description, means for effectively closing a hopper discharge outlet through which the aggregate is ejected, upon cessation of rotation of the said road engaging wheel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in association with the said rotary means for ejecting aggregate onto a road surface, a means for adjusting the said rotary means of the spreader with respect to the hopper outlet for changing or adjusting quantity of aggregate discharged onto the road surface.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in road maintenance machinery, an aggregate spreader mechanism together with a vertically adjustable road contacting wheel with an operative driving connection between such wheel and the aggregate spreader mechanism Whereby the spreader mechanism will be put into operation automatically upon the lowering of the ground engaging wheel into contact with the ground or road surface.

Still another object of the invention is to provide mechanism functioning as a valve to close an aggregate discharge outlet of an aggregate carrying hopper, with an operative coupling between such outlet closing valve and the vertically adjustable road engaging and aggregate mechanism operating wheel, whereby the outlet valve will be closed simultaneously with the raising of the road engaging wheel from the road surface and will be opened simultaneously with the lowering of the wheel into contact with the road surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel control valve which may be used for effecting the sequential turning on of the spray bar nozzles and the starting 3,228,310 Patented Jan. 11, 1966 of the aggregate discharge, whereby the spray will be started after the aggregate, and turned off before the aggregate feed is stopped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of the lower part of a road surfacing and maintenance machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing elements of the aggregate spreader mechanism and operating means thereof together with portions of a sprayer assembly.

FIG. 2 is a view in si e elevation of the machine with the top part of the road coatlng liquid tank broken away and showing the driving connection between a ground engaging wheel and the aggregate spreader mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking forwardly toward a ground engaging driving wheel for the aggregate spreader mechanism and showing the mounting for the wheel and means for raising and lowering the same.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 2, looking downwardly.

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 2 and looking forwardly.

FIG. 7 is a detail side elevation view of one side of the lower part of the aggregate hopper showing the means by which the rotary aggregate ejecting wheel may be raised and lowered to vary the amount of aggregate ejected.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional detail through one sprocket gear on one end of the supporting shaft for the rotary ejector.

FIG. 10 illustrates another valving set up for effecting, by manipulation of a single valve unit, the sequential steps of first starting the aggregate dispensing mechanism and then starting the operation of the spraying mechanism and shutting otf the spray mechanism in advance of stopping the discharge of aggregate.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken longitudinally through the valve casing of the structure shown in FIG. 10, and showing the rotary plug in elevation.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11 and showing the valve plug in position for exhausting compressed air from compressed air operated units connected with the spray bar mechanism and the aggregate discharge mechanism operating wheel.

FIG. 13 is a section corresponding to FIG. 12 but showing the valve plug rotated to a position to direct air under pressure only to the wheel lowering power unit or chamber of the aggregate distributor mechanism.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view corresponding to FIGS. 12 and 13 and showing the valve plug in position to direct air under pressure to the operating units for the spray bar and for the aggregate discharging mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral '10 generally designates the machine chassis frame which embodies right and left side beams 12 and 14 and the transversely extending front beam 16 and a rear transverse beam (not shown) connecting the rear end of the side beams 12 and 14.

The machine chassis is mounted upon three ground supporting wheels. At the rear of the chassis are depending brackets 18 for right and left rear wheels 20 and 22.

At the transverse center of the front beam 16 is the front pivotal bracket 24 for the single front wheel 26. The bracket 24 is coupled to the rigid mounting bracket 28, attached to the front beam 16, by a king pin 30 to which a draft bar 32 is secured.

The chassis frame has mounted thereon and at the rear thereof the tank 34 for the bituminous spray material. The spray material is conveyed by suitable piping and pumping apparatus generally designated 36 to a spray bar 38 extending across the front of the machine below the chassis frame and at the desired elevation from the ground and directly behind the front wheel 26 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The numeral 40 designates conventional spray nozzles connected with the spray bar 38.

No details of the piping and pumping mechanism, spray bar, nozzles and the control means for the nozzles are here illustrated as such details are all disclosed and claimed in my copending application hereinbefore referred to.

Secured to and supported by and between the trans- Verse front beam and a rearwardly positioned transverse support beam 42 is the aggregate hopper unit 44 of the aggregate spreader mechanism generally designated 46.

The hopper unit comprises the front and rear downwardly converging walls 48 and 50 respectively and right and left side walls 52 and 54 respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8 the rear wall 50 of the hopper extends below the cross beam 42 as a short vertical wall portion 54 which at its lower end joins the forwardly curving portion 56 which in turn extends forwardly and downwardly forming the forwardly discharging bottom wall 58.

The side walls 52 and 54 of the hopper extend downwardly to the bottom wall 58.as shown.

The forward wall 48 of the hopper which in the upper portion is sloped downwardly and rearwardly, continues in a flatter slope downwardly and rearwardly between the lower end portions of the side walls, as indicated at 60 and terminates in the narrow downwardly directed lip 62. This lip is spaced from the vertical wall portion 54 to form the downwardly opening throat 64 through which the aggregate passes onto the forwardly curving wall portion 56. s

The hopper right and left side walls below the lower portion 60 of the front wall of the hopper, are reduced in width and the forward edges of these reduced portions, designated 66, slope slightly toward the rear of the machine and join the forward edge of the bottom wall portion 58, forming with this forward edge of the bottom wall portion, a seating 68 for the hereinafter described valve member.

The lower ends of the side walls 52 and 54 together with the wall portions 54', 56, and 58 form an aggregate receiving chamber designated 70, into which the aggregate flows from the hopper through the throat 64, for discharge forwardly across the downwardly inclined bottom wall 58 of the chamber.

Extending transversely through the hopper adjacent to a the lower end of the inclined wall portion 58 is an agitating and leveling screw which is generally designated 72 and which is supported upon the shaft 74. This shaft is here shown as having one end extending outwardly through the left side wall of the hopper, as the machine is viewed from the front, in FIG. 1. The screw flights are formed in right and left hand sections from the ends of the shaft inwardly to the central part thereof so that as the screw is rotated in the manner hereinafter described, the two flights will feed the aggregate from the central portion of the hopper outwardly toward the ends thereof.

In a hopper constructed in the manner illustrated here, particularly in FIGS. 2 and 8, a machine of a width of approximately 8 or 9 feet, need not be provided with an agitating and leveling screw since the feed by gravity would be suflicient and since the machine is used in connection with a dump truck which discharges the aggregate into the hopper, the width of such a machine would approximate the width of the dump truck and so the aggregate would be discharged in the required spread out manner. However, in machines of greater width where the hopper may have a width of from 10 to 12 feet, such a hopper would be considerably wider than the tail gate of the dump truck and accordingly the agitating and leveling screw is required.

The shaft 74 carries on the said outwardly extending left hand end thereof, external-1y of the hopper, a sprocket gear 76 having a driving means connected therewith as hereinafter described.

The numeral 78 generally designates the aggregate ejector which is housed Within the chamber 70. This ejector is in the form of an elongate paddle wheel embodying a hub portion 80 carrying the longitudinally extending and radially projecting paddle or pusher blades 82, The hub 80 is mounted upon and fixed to the shaft 84 in a suitable manner and the shaft extends the width of the hopper and at its two ends it projects through vertical slots 86 in the adjacent side walls of the hopper, below the hopper bottom wall 60.

The ejector as viewed in FIG. 8, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction so that the blades or paddles 82 move downwardly and forwardly from and slightly in advance of the lip 62 and the edges of the blades follow a path substantially concentric with the curved wall 56 of the chamber 70, so as to sweep the aggregate forwardly in the manner of an undershot whee-l, across the inclined floor 58, and discharge the aggregate through the open front side of the chamber.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the hereinbefore referred to vertical slots 86 through which the ends of the shaft 84 of the aggregate ejector extends.

The shaft 84 is supported at its two ends upon and by a means whereby it may be raised or lowered to change or vary the distance between the downwardly moving paddles or blades 82 and the bottom or floor 58 of the chamber 70. This vertically adjustable supporting means for each end of the shaft 84 is particularly illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, and is generally designated 88.

The elevating and lowering or adjusting means 88 for the shaft 84, upon each end of the hopper, comprises a bearing supporting plate 90 positioned against the outer side 'of the lower part of the hopper side wall, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. This plate is retained in position for vertical sliding movement by a pair of vertically positioned spaced parallel guides 92, located on opposite sides of the shaft opening 86 and retaining the plate 90 in position against the adjacent hopper wall, over and covering the shaft opening as illustrated.

Above the plate 90 the hopper wall has fixed thereto, the outwardly projecting bracket plate 94 and the underlying plate 90 has fixed thereto at the top edge thereof, the forwardly projecting flange 96.

A threaded pin or screw 98 is extended through a suitable opening in the bracket plate 94 and carries a collar, surmounted by a head nut 100, the collar, beneath the nut, resting upon the bracket plate 94. The pin 98 is freely rotatable in the aperture of the bracket plate 94 through which it extends and the lower end of the pin is screw threaded and threaded into and through an opening in the flange 96 as indicated at 101. Accordingly, it will be seen that rotation of the pin will effect the vertical movement of the attached plate. By the application of a suitable wrench or crank to the head of the threaded pin 98, the latter can be turned as desired and the shaft 84 raised or lowered as will be readily apparent, for the purpose hereinbefore stated.

In order to accurately move, either up or down, each end of the shaft 84 to the same extent, one of the guides 92 may be provided with a pointer 182 and the face of the plate adjacent thereto is provided with a. Vertically arranged series of markings or graduations as indicated at 103.

The plate 90 of each support 88 has secured to the outer side thereof, a suitable bearing 104 aligned with an opening 105 in the plate and the opening in turn being aligned with the shaft opening 86 and the adjacent end of the shaft is extended through the bearing as shown in FIG. 6.

One end of the shaft 84, here shown as the right end, has removably positioned thereon, a sprocket gear 106. This sprocket gear is equipped with a hub 107 to receive the end of the shaft 84, and the hub is of suitable size to carry a key 108 for engagement in a keyway 109 formed in the shaft. This sprocket gear is readily removable from the shaft for replacement by another one of larger or smaller size when the speed of rotation of the aggregate ejector is to be altered.

Rotation of the aggregate ejector is effected during the forward motion of the machine by the ground engaging wheel 110 located adjacent to the right hand side of the machine as shown in FIG. 1. As is also shown in this figure, a similar ground engaging wheel 111 is located at the left hand side of the machine and these wheels are mounted to be raised and lowered with respect to the ground whereby the mechanism with which they are or may be connected may be operated when the wheels are in contact with the ground and stopped from operation by being raised from the ground when the machine is being moved over a surface or over surfaces which are not to be paved.

The illustrated wheel 110 is operatively coupled with the aggregate ejector as stated while the wheel 111 may be coupled in the manner shown and hereinafter described, with the agitating and leveling screw to effect rotation of the latter in the forward motion of the machine. It will be obvious that the agitating and leveling screw should not be rotated when the machine is backing and accordingly it will be apparent that such rotation of the screw will be suspended when the wheel 111 is elevated from the ground.

The mounting structure for the wheels 110 and 111 is the same for each wheel, and accordingly the same reference numerals will be applied to corresponding parts thereof and the description of one of the mounting structures will be sufiicient for an understanding of the construction and operation of both.

The mounting structure for the right hand wheel 110 is generally designated 112 and the mounting for the left hand wheel 111 is generally designated 113.

Each of the wheel mountings 112 and 113 comprises two hanger bars 114 and 115 secured to and depending from the transverse beam 16 of the chassis. These bars 114 and 115 are in spaced parallel relation, the hanger bars 114 being at the outer sides of the machine, in line at their top ends with the side beams of the chassis frame, while the hanger beams 115 are spaced inwardly from the bars 114 as shown.

Disposed across the lower ends of each pair of hanger bars 114 and 115 is the elongate rectangular frame, generally designated 116 and comprising the vertically spaced parallel horizontal members 117, connected at their ends by the short vertical members 118.

While the members 117 are referred to as being horizontal, they only assume a horizontal position when the wheels 110 and 111 are upon the ground as shown in FIG. 1, but when the wheels are elevated from contact with the ground, the inner ends of the members or the inner ends of the rectangular frames are raised and thus the frames are at a slight downward inclination toward their outer ends, as will be hereinafter apparent.

As shown in FIG. 3 the vertical member 118 of the illustrated rectangular frame 116, at the outer end of the frame, carries the short rigid rearwardly projecting pivot stud 119 which passes through and is pivotally supported 6 in the opening 120 in the adjacent hanger bar 114 (FIG. 4).

The other or inner vertical member 118 of the frame carries a guide pin or bolt 121 which projects rearwardly through a vertical guide slot 122 formed in the adjacent inner hanger bar 115 as shown in FIG. 3. The width of the guide slot 122 is such with respect to the guide bolt 121 as to permit the free vertical movement of the frame on its pivot stud 119 to move the ground engaging wheel vertically out of and into working contact with the underlying surface of the ground or roadway.

Each of the frames 116 carries an axle supporting hearing 123 upon the forward side of each of the vertical members 118 thereof and these two bearings support the wheel axle 124, upon the inner end of which is secured a ground wheel 110 or 111.

The outer end of the axle 124 upon which wheel 110 is mounted, has secured thereon the sprocket gear 125. This sprocket gear 125 is operatively connected by the sprocket chain 126 with the sprocket gear 106 carried upon the adjacent end of the ejector shaft 84.

The ejector 78 is rotated in the proper direction for expelling or ejecting the aggregate forwardly and downwardly onto the ground surface upon the top of the previously deposited bitumen or coating material, by training the driving sprocket chain around the two idler sprocket gears 127 and 128 which are mounted in vertically spaced relation on the outer side of the plate 90 of the adjacent shaft supporting means 88, rearwardly of the sprocket gear 106 and with one of the idler gears, such as the gear 128, at an elevation above the gear 106 and the other idler gear, here shown as gear 127, at an elevation below the gear 106.

The shafts supporting the idler gears 127 and 128 are designated 129 and 130 respectively. These shafts are mounted, as shown in FIG. 7, upon the plate 90. Any suitable manner may be employed for mounting the shafts and the mounting here shown comprises brackets 129' and 130' which are attached to and laterally or outwardly offset from the plate 90 and the adjacent side of the hopper, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 whereby they will be properly aligned with the adjacent sprocket gear 106. Thus it will be seen upon reference to FIG. 2, that the lower or botton flight of the chain drive 126 will move rearwardly from the gear 125, around the lower idler gear 127 and then forwardly to and around the forward side of the gear 106, then passing rearwardly to and around the rear side of the upper idler gear 128 to then move forwardly in the upper flight. Thus the paddles or blades of the aggregate ejector will be rotated in the proper direction for ejecting the aggregate, this direction of rotation being clockwise when viewing the apparatus from the right hand side of the machine, according to FIG. 2.

Rotary motion is transmitted to the agitator and leveling screw by means of the wheel 111 and the axial 124 upon which it is mounted when the wheel 111 is in engagement with the ground.

As shown in FIG. 1, the axial 124 for the wheel 111 carries upon its outer end a sprocket gear 125' and this gear is operatively connected with the gear 76 carried upon the adjacent end of the shaft for the agitator and leveling screw, by means of the sprocket chain 132 as shown in FIG. 1.

It will be seen upon reference to FIG. 1 that while the wheel 110, when in contact with the ground will rotate the aggregate distributor, the wheel 111, when in contact with the ground, will rotate only the agitator and leveling screw. Thus the wheels may be put into operation or out of operation simultaneously or one may be operated without the other.

In order to maintain the ground engaging wheels 110 and 111 in the down position or ground engaging position, there are provided the two air chambers 133 and 133'. These air chambers are of conventional construction wherein there is an air actuated diaphragm (not shown) connected with a stem 134. The air chambers are shown mounted upon bridge members 135 and supported thereby above the adjacent frame'116, the bridge members 135 being connected between the hanger bars 114 and 115.

The lower end of the stem 134 of each air chamber 133 and 133', is pivotally attached at 136 to the underlying frame 116 as shown.

The numeral 137 designates a compressed air pipe line leading from a suitable source of compressed air, not shown. This line is connected as at 137 with a suit-able control valve 138 by means of which compressed air may be transmitted simultaneously to the air chamber 133 and to a second air chamber, hereinafter described, the air passing through the chamber 133 being conveyed by the pipe 139 as shown in FIG. 1.

A second compressed air pipe-line designated 139', is also connected with the feed line 137 and is connected with a second control valve, designated 138. This second control valve is in turn, connected by means of the pipe line 139", with the air chamber 133. Thus it will be seen that manipulation of the control valve 138 will effect the downward swinging of the underlying frame 116 to engage the wheel 110 with the ground and opening of the control valve 138' will force the left hand frame structure 116 downwardly to bring the wheel 111 into contact with the ground.

The valve 138 and 138 are of suitable type whereby the air feed lines connected therewith can be shut and the air chambers with which the valves are connected can be exhausted of air. When the air from the air chambers is exhausted, the supporting frames 116 for the ground engaging wheels 110 and 111 are elevated by a suitable spring 134 which, as shown, has one end attached to the frame 116 adjacent to the outer end of the latter and the other end of the spring is attached to the overlying bridge, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

When the ground engaging wheel 110 is elevated so that the discharge of aggregate ceases, it is desirable that the open front of the chamber 70 be closed to prevent aggregate remaining therein from gravitating outwardly therefrom. According, there is provided a shut-off valve as illustrated in FIG. 8 and generally designated V. This shut-off valve comprises an elongate plate 140 having a hinge sleeve along its top edge as indicated at 141, through example, by means of a bracket 148. The function of' this spring is to pull the lever 145 outwardly and oscillate the valve plate to closed position.

The movement of the valve plate to opened position is effected by means of an air chamber 149 which is mounted upon a suitable bracket 150 secured to a fixed or stationary part of the machine as, for example, to the wheel mounting bracket 28.

An actuating stem 151 extends from the air chamber downwardly and rearwardly and is pivotally coupled as at 152 to the lever 145. The means for coupling the stem at 152 to the lever may include a suitable pivot pin passing through a slot 153 in the lever.

The air chamber is supplied with compressed air passing from the air line 137, through the valve 138 to and through the pipe 154, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus it will be seen that by employing a control valve of suitable design, air may be admitted simultaneously to each of the two air chambers .133 and 149 and in this operation the wheel 110 will be lowered into contact with the ground and thrust will be applied to the lever 145 to rock the latter rearwardly and swing the valve V to open position as it is shown in broken lines in FIG. 8. When this is done while the machine is moving forwardly, the necessary rotation will be imparted to the wheel 110 to effect rotation of the aggregate ejector 78 for discharge of ag gregate from the chamber 70 through the open forward side thereof. The discharging aggregate will be deflected downwardly onto the road surface by the forwardly positioned lower part or belting 144 of the open valve.

When the control valve 138 is closed to shut off the supply of compressedtair flowing thereto through the pipe line 137, the air under pressure in the chambers 133 and 149 will be exhausted through the control valve. The springs 134 and 146 will then function respectively to elevate the wheel 110 and oscillate the valve V to a position to close the forward side of the aggregate chamber 70.

' Accordingly the rotation of the ejector 78 will cease and which extends a supporting shaft 142 extending transversely of the vehicle in front of the open forward side of the aggregate chamber 70 and mounted upon suitable supporting bracket ears 143 attached to and extending forwardly from the side walls of the hopper.

The shut-off valve also includes a strip of heavy woven material such as heavy belting, secured lengthwise of the plate 140 and projecting downwardly therefrom to below the forward edge of the bottom wall 58 of the aggregate chamber 70. This strip of belting material which is generally designated 144 engages the seating 68 when the valve is in closed position as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The shut-0E valve 139 is operatively coupled with the raising and lowering means for the wheel 110 and by means whereby the valve will be closed when the wheel 110 is raised, and will be opened when this wheel is lowered into contact with the ground.

The said operative coupling between the valve V and wheel 110 comprises an elongate rigid lever 145 secured to the top portion of the valve plate 140 approximately midway between the ends of the plate, by a short rearwardly projecting terminal portion as shown in FIG. 8.

When the valve is closed as shown in FIG. 8, the right angled terminal extension for portion 146 extends substantially horizontally rearwardly and the lever is substantially vertically disposed.

The upper end of the lever 145 has an end of a pull spring 147 attached thereto, while the other end of this spring is secured by suitable means to the hopper as, for

the aggregate will be prevented from flowing by gravity from the chamber 70.

The opening and closing of the spray nozzles 40 carried by the spray bar structure 38 may be effected by any suitable means operated independently of the compressed air operating mechanism associated with the starting and stopping of the aggregate discharge unit 78 and the opening and closing of the valve V associated therewith. Such spray nozzles are operatively coupled together so that they may all be opened and closed simultaneously as shown in my copending application hereinbefore referred to, which coupling of the valves is, as shown in FIG. 5, by means of a reciprocable rod 40'.

In the operation of the machine it is desirable that the asphalt and the stone or aggregate should hit the ground at the same time if possible. The asphalt is sprayed under pressure and should come on very slightly after the aggregate feed is started, as-the aggregate falls by gravity.

, It is also desirable that in stopping the operation of the machine no asphalt is left exposed. In employing a pressure operated means such as an air chamber of the character illustrated in FIG. 1, two separate valves could be set up, one for starting theoperation of the spray nozzles and the other for starting the operation of the aggregate discharge and the opening of the valve V as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Control of the different units may also be accomplished by the use of a single valve in place of the valve 138 and connected to the pressure actuated units, according to the arrangement shown in FIGS. 10 to 14 inclusive.

In these figures the numeral 238 generally designates a control valve by means of which air under pressure may be delivered first, in the opening of the valve, to the air chamber which puts the wheel down on the ground and, subsequently, to a suitable compressed air operating means for actuating the valve control rod 40 in a direction to open the spray valve or nozzles.

The valve 238 has the three connections or coupling nipples 239, 240 and 241 which communicates with the chamber 242 in the valve housing 243. The chamber 242 receives the tapered rotary plug 244, the larger end of which carries the axially extending stem 245 to which a control handle 246 is secured while the opposite or smaller end of the plug, which projects from the housing, may have thereon a washer 247 and be formed with threads for receiving the securing nut 248.

The valve plug has an axial bore 249 formed therein which opens through the smaller end of the plug and which forms an exhaust port and the side of the plug as a slot 250 therein which opens into the bore 249 and which is of suflicient width to span the inner ends of two of the connections such as the connections 239 and 240.

The outer side or wall of the plug body also has formed therein the circumferentially extending air transfer recess 251. This recess does not communicate with the exhaust passage 249 but is for the purpose of conveying air from the compressed air intake connection or nipple 241 to the nipples 240 and 239 and is of suflicient circumferential extent to bridge and connect the inner ends of the three nipples as shown in FIG. 14, and when in this position the exhaust recess 250 will be completely shut oil? from connection with the nipples.

The compressed air inlet nipple 241 has connected therewith, the pipeline 237 which is connected with a suitable source of air under pressure. The nipple 240 has connected therewith the pipe 251 which leads to the air chamber 233 by means of which the wheel 110 is forced down into contact with the the ground and this nipple also is connected with the pipeline 254 which conveys the air under pressure to the air chamber 149.

The nipple 239 is connected by the pipeline 255 with a suitable compressed air operated unit such as the chamber 256 and which unit is operatively coupled with the spray bar valves by means of the actuating bar 40. This air chamber unit 256 when charged with air from the line 255 will actuate the spray valves to open position and when air is exhausted from the unit then the valve actuating rod 40 may be returned in a suitable manner as, for example, by means of the spring 257, to close the spray valves.

As shown in FIGS. 12, 13, 14 and 15, the control valve 238 has three operating positions.

In FIG. 12, the valve plug is in a position to exhaust air from the unit 233, the unit 149 and the unit 256. In this position it will be understood that the wheel 110 with which the unit 233 is connected will be elevated so that the aggregate discharge unit 78 will be stationary and the valve V will be closed and also the spray valves or nozzles will be shut off.

Upon rotation of the valve plug 244 to the second position shown in FIG. 13, air will be admitted by way of the transfer channel 251, to the pipelines 251 and 254, whereby to start the discharge of aggregate and upon further rotation of the valve plug to a third position shown in FIG. 14, air will then be admitted to the spray bar valve actuating unit 256 to initiate discharge of road coating asphalt.

Reverse rotation of the valve plug from the position shown in FIG. 14 will first shut off the spray bar operation and then further rotation to the second position shown in FIG. 13 will shut oif the discharge of aggregate and air will be exhausted, first from the unit 256 and then from the units 233 and 254.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are therefore intended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

1. In a road surfacing apparatus, a wheel supported aggregate distributor comprising a hopper having a front wall, a rear wall and side walls, said front wall having a lower downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion joining a short vertical terminal lip, said rear wall having a substantially vertical portion merging into a downwardly and forwardly curving substantially quarter-circular lower wall portion, said lip and said substantially vertical rear wall portion being in spaced parallel relation and forming a passage for discharge of the stream of aggregate from the hopper, said quarter-circular wall portion merging into a straight forwardly directed bottom wall having a forwardly directed edge, said side walls having portions extending below said downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion of said front wall and joining said quarter-circular wall portion and said bottom wall forming a chamber for receiving aggregate from said passage, said bottom wall terminal edge and said side wall portions forming a discharge outlet, a rotary aggregate spreader in said chamber supported to rotate on an axis paralleling said discharge outlet and extending transversely of the path of travel of the apparatus, said aggregate spreader including paddles rotatable in one direction to project aggregate toward and through said discharge outlet, said spreader being positioned in said chamber to have the outer edges of the paddles move downwardly in a circular path concentric with said quarter-circular wall and said path being substantially tangent to the plane of said lip, and means for rotating said spreader in said one direction.

2. The invention according to claim 1, with a screw type agitator supported for rotation in the hopper at an elevation above and in a position forwardly of said aggregate outlet.

3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein said straight bottom wall portion has a gradual downward inclination to the said terminal edge thereof and the said terminal edge lies in a vertical plane closely adjacent to the forwardmost side of the circular path of said paddle edges.

4. The invention according to claim 3, with forwardly swinging closure means coacting with said bottom wall terminal edge for closing the discharge outlet when the said rotary spreader is inoperative.

5. A road surfacing apparatus comprising in combination, a wheel supported chassis having a front end, an aggregate carrying receptacle on said chassis having front, back and side walls and a downwardly directed outlet, an aggregate receiving chamber below said outlet and having a downwardly and forwardly curving substantially quarter-circular wall coextensive with said back wall leading to and merging directly and uninterruptedly into a forwardly and downwardly sloping bottom wall, the chamber having a lower part and a forwardly directed discharge opening leading from said lower part and bordered by the forward edge of said bottom wall and side walls, said chamber being of substantial length and extending transversely of the apparatus, an elongate aggregate ejector supported in and longitudinally of said chamber for rotation on a longitudinal axis, said ejector including longitudinally extending radial blades positioned for rotation in relatively widely spaced concentric relation with the curvature of said back wall whereby the outer ends thereof sweep aggregate issuing from said chamber outlet directly across said bottom wall to and through said discharge opening, said receptacle outlet discharging aggregate onto said curving back wall of the chamber between such wall and the said outer ends of said blades, and means for rotating said ejector in a direction to sweepingly eject aggregate forwardly through said discharge opening, said last means comprising a wheel, means supporting the wheel from said chassis for up and down movement into and out of driving engagement with an underlying roadway, means for effecting said up and down movement and a driving connection between said wheel and said ejector.

6. Road surfacing apparatus, comprising in combination, a wheel supported chassis having a front end, an agregate carrying receptacle on said chassis and having a downwardly directed outlet, means below said outlet for receiving aggregate from said outlet and ejecting the aggregate forwardly in the direction of movement of the chassis and downwardly onto an underlying road surface, a wheel supported by the chassis adjacent to the front thereof for movement into and out of engagement with an underlying roadway at a location forwardly of and in close proximity to the aggregate ejecting means, to be rotated by contact with the roadway during forward movement of the apparatus, fluid pressure operated mechanism supported by said chassis and operatively connected with said wheel for effecting said movement of said wheel in one direction relative to the underlying roadway, spring operated other mechanism supported by said chassis and operatively connected with said wheel for effecting said movement of said wheel in a reverse direction relative to the underlying roadway, and mechanism operatively connecting said wheel with said aggregate ejecting means by which the aggregate ejecting means is made operative by said wheel when the latter is rotated by engagement with the roadway.

7. The invention according to claim 5, with valve means supported for movement relative tosaid forward edge of said bottom wall for shutting said aggregate discharge opening, when said ejector is inoperative.

8. The invention according to claim 5, with movably supported valve means for closing said aggregate discharge opening, and mechanism operatively coupled with the said valve means for effecting the said up and down movement of the wheel supo-rting means and said valve means, whereby said valve means becomes operative to close said discharge opening and said ejector becomes inoperative, upon the upward movement of said wheel from contact with the roadway.

9. The combination in road surfacing machinery, of a wheel supported chassis having a front end, an aggregate hopper on the chassis having a bottom outlet leading into an aggregate receiving chamber extending transversely of the chassis, said chamber having a forwardly directed discharge opening, an elongate rotatably supported aggregate ejector in the chamber having means when rotated in one direction for sweeping aggregate along an uninterrupted forwardly and downwardly directed path to and through said discharge opening, a wheel axle, means supporting said axle on the chassis frame for rotation on an axis extending transversely of the chassis, means supporting said axle and swingable on a pivot and in a vertical plane and on a substantially horizontal axis extending in the direction of movement of the chassis, a wheel on and secured to an end of said axle remote from said pivot, means for effecting swinging of the axle supporting means on its pivot and in said vertical plane to raise said wheel from engagement with an underlying roadway, other means for effecting swinging of said axle supporting means downwardly on its pivot to engage the wheel with an underlying roadway, and means forming a driving connection between said wheel axle and said aggregate ejector for turning the ejector in said one direction.

10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said chamber has an inner wall surface across which the said means of the ejector sweeps when rotated, and means for moving the aggregate ejector relative to said wall surface to change the quantity of aggregate ejected.

11. In road surfacing machinery, a wheel supported structure having a front end, a hopper on said structure for storing road surfacing aggregate, said hopper having a rear wall and a front wall converging downwardly toward the rear wall, and lateral side walls, said front wall having a bottom edge spaced from a lower part of said rear wall and forming therewith an aggregate outlet, said rear wall curving downwardly and forwardly below said outlet and continuing uninterreuptedly in a flat forwardly and downwardly inclined bottom wall portion to a free forward edge and forming with the lower portions of said side walls an aggregate receiving chamber extending transversely of the structure, said chamber having a forwardly directed aggregate discharge opening, the lower margin of said discharge opening being defined by said free forward edge of said bottom wall portion, an aggregate ejector in and extending longitudinally of said chamber and having the form of a multiple paddle wheel and including a longitudinal shaft extending .at its ends through openings in the lower portions of said side walls, said ejector being positioned with the shaft thereof forwardly of and at an elevation below said hopper outlet and having the paddles thereof directed toward but terminating a substantial distance short of said downwardly curving rear wall, driving means connected with an end of said shaft for rotating the ejector wheel as an undershot wheel to sweep aggregate forwardly along a straight downward path from said chamber through said discharge opening.

12. The invention according to claim 11, with means for closing the lower part of said discharge opening and comprising an elongate flat body of flexible material swingingly supported for movement into closing position against the said forward edge of said bottom wall portion.

13. The invention according to claim 11, wherein said openings through which said shaft ends extend are in the form of vertical slots, supporting plates upon the outer sides of said hopper side walls and covering said vertical slots, bearings carried by said supporting plates through which the shaft ends extend and means holding said supporting plates for vertical adjustment whereby vertical adjustment of the ejector in said chamber may be made.

14. The invention according to claim 11, wherein said driving means comprises an axle, an elongate supporting frame having said axle rotatably mounted thereon and longitudinally thereof, hanger means at one side of said wheel supported structure in the front of the latter, said frame being positioned to extend lengthwise in the transverse direction of the machine and being pivotally mounted at its outer end on said hanger means to swing at its inner end in a vertical plane, a ground engaging ejector driving wheel secured on the inner end of said axle, a driving connection between the outer end of said axle and the adjacent end of the ejector shaft, and means carried by the wheel supported structure and operatively connected with said frame for swinging the frame to raise and lower said driving wheel relative to the ground.

15. The invention according to claim 14, with a valve plate at the forward side of said aggregate chamber supported for forward and rearward swinging movement into and out of closing position over said discharge opening, and means for swinging said valve plate into and out of closing positions respectively and simultaneously with the raising and lowering of said driving wheel.

16. The invention according to claim 14, wherein the said driving connection between the outer end of said axle and the shaft of the ejector comprises a sprocket gear on the said frame supported axle, a sprocket gear on the adjacent end of said ejector shaft, a pair of vertically spaced idler sprocket gears rearwardly of said shaft supported gear, one idler gear being at an elevation above and the other at an elevation below the adjacent shaft supported gear, and a sprocket chain around the axle supported gear and having a bottom flight passing around the adjacent lower idler gear and then extending forwardly to and around the forward side of the adjacent shaft supported gear and then extending rearwardly to and around the rear side of the adjacent upper idler gear and then extending forwardly in a top flight to the adjacent axle supported gear.

17. The invention according to claim 15, wherein the 13 last stated means comprises compressed air actuated power means for effecting the said lowering of the driving wheel and the opening of the valve plate and spring means for effecting the said raising of the driving wheel and the closing of the valve plate.

18. The combination in road surfacing machinery, of a wheel supported chassis having a front end, an aggregate hopper on the chassis having a bottom outlet leading into an aggregate receiving chamber extending transversely of the chassis, said chamber having a forwardly directed discharge opening, an elongate aggregate agitating and leveling unit rotatably supported within said hopper and extending transversely of the chassis, an elongate rotatably supported aggregate ejector in the chamber having means when rotated in one direction for sweeping aggregate forwardly through said discharge opening, a first wheel axle, means supporting said axle from the chassis frame for rotation on an axis extending transversely of the chassis and for swinging movement in a vertical plane on a substantially horizontal pivot having its axis extending in the direction of movement of the chassis, a wheel on and secured to an end of said axle remote from said pivot, means for effecting swinging of the axle supporting means upwardly on its pivot to raise said wheel from engagement with an underlying roadway, other means for effecting swinging of said axle supporting means downwardly on its pivot to engage the wheel with an underlying roadway, means forming a driving connection between said wheel axle and said aggregate ejector for turning the ejector in said one direction, a second Wheel axle, means supporting said second axle from the chassis frame for rotation on an axis extending trans versely of the chassis and for swinging movement in a vertical plane and on a substantially horizontal pivot having its axis extending in the direction of movement of the chassis, a wheel on and secured to an end of said second axle remote from the pivot of the supporting means therefor, means for effecting swinging of the said second axle supporting means upwardly on its pivot to raise said wheel of the second axle from engagement with an underlying roadway, other means for effecting swing of said second axle supporting means downwardly on its pivot to engage the wheel thereof with an underlying roadway, and means forming a driving connection between said second wheel axle and said rotatably supported agitating and leveling unit for turning the latter in one direction.

19. In road surfacing machinery, a wheel supported structure having a front end, a hopper on said structure for storing road surfacing aggregate, said hopper having a rear wall and a front wall converging downwardly toward the rear wall, and lateral side walls, said front wall having a bottom edge spaced from a lower part of said rear wall and forming therewith an aggregate outlet, said rear wall curving downwardly and forwardly below said outlet and continuing uninterruptedly straight forwardly at a downward inclination to a free forward edge and forming with the lower portions of said side walls an aggregate receiving chamber extending transversely of the structure, said chamber having a forwardly directed aggregate discharge opening, said discharge opening having a lower margin defined by said wall free forward edge, an aggregate ejector in and extending longitudinally of said chamber and having the form of a multiple paddle wheel and including a longitudinal shaft extending at its ends through openings in the lower portions of said side Walls, said ejector being positioned with the shaft thereof forwardly of and at an elevation below said hopper outlet and having the paddles thereof directed toward but terminating a substantial distance short of said downwardly curving rear wall, driving means connected with an end of said shaft for rotating the ejector wheel as an undershot wheel to sweep aggregate straight forwardly from said chamber through said discharge opening, an elongate aggregate agitating and leveling screw rotatably supported within the hopper and extending transversely of the hopper between said lateral side walls, the said driving means connected with an end of the ejector wheel shaft comprising an axle, an elongate supporting frame having said axle rotatably mounted thereon and longitudinally thereof, hanger means at one side of said wheel supported structure and in the front of the latter, said frame being positioned to extend lengthwise in the transverse direction of the machine and being pivotally mounted at its outer end on said hanger means to swing at its inner end in a vertical plane extending transversely of the path of movement of said structure, a ground engaging Wheel secured on the inner end of said aide, a driving connection between the outer end of said axle and the adjacent end of the ejector shaft, means carried by the wheel supported structure and connected with said frame for swinging the frame in said vertical plane to raise and lower said driving wheel relative to the ground, a second driving means comprising a second axle, an elongate supporting frame having said second axle rotatably mounted thereon and longitudinally thereof, hanger means at the other side of said wheel supported structure and in the front of the latter, the said supporting frame for said second axle being positioned to extend lengthwise in the transverse direction of the machine and being pivotally mounted at its outer end on the second mentioned hanger means to swing at its inner end in a vertical plane extending transversely of the path of movement of the structure, a ground engaging wheel secured on the inner end of said second axle, a driving connection between the outer end of said second axle and the adjacent end of the agitating and leveling screw, and means carried by the wheel supported structure and operatively connected with the second axle supporting frame for swinging the latter frame in a vertical plane to raise and lower the said second axle driving wheel relative to the ground.

20. In a road surfacing machine, a wheel supported chassis having a front end and a rear end, an aggregate hopper having a downwardly directed outlet means forming a chamber below the hopper for receiving aggregate from said outlet, said chamber having a downwardly and forwardly directed outlet, rotary means in said chamber for ejecting aggregate through its outlet onto an underlying road surface, means carried by said chassis for driving said rotary means and comprising a structure mounted on the front of the chassis for up and down movement, a ground engaging wheel rotatably mounted on said structure, a driving connection between said wheel and said rotary means for actuating the rotary means when the wheel is engaged with the ground by the lowering of said structure, a first means for moving said structure in a direction to lower said wheel into driving contact with the ground, a second means for moving said structure in the reverse direction to elevate said wheel from contact with the ground, one of said structure moving means being pressurized fluid operated, valve means for closing said hopper outlet, another first means for moving said valve means to closing position, another second means for moving said valve means to open position, one of said valve moving means being pressurized fluid operated, and fluid valve controlled conduits for delivering pressurized fluid from a source to said pressurized fluid operated means.

21. The invention according to claim 20, including a spray bar and valved spray nozzles carried thereby, means operatively connected with said spray nozzle valves for opening the latter, other means operatively connected with the spray nozzle valves for closing the latter, one of the last two stated means connected with said spray nozzle valves being pressurized fluid operated, conduit means for delivering pressurized fluid from said source to said last mentioned means, and said valve for said valve controlled conduits also being operatively connected with said conduits and controlling flow of fluid from said source to the said last mentioned means.

22. The invention according to claim 21, wherein the said valve operatively connected with said conduits and controlling flow of fluid from said source to the said last mentioned means, is a multiple ported valve unit having at least two open positions, in one of which open positions pressurized fluid isdirected from said source to said fluid operated structure moving means and to said pressurized fluid actuated hopper valve moving means and when in another open position directs the fluid from the source to said pressurized fluid operated spray nozzle valve actuating means, while maintaining the first open position operative.

23. The invention according to claim 22, wherein the said fluid flow control valve consists of a casing having a chamber formed to receive a tapered rotary plug and the ports are three in number and defined by coupling nipples opening into the chamber, a tapered plug rot-atably positioned in said chamber, said plug having an axial blind bore opening to the atmosphere at one end and means at its other end for eflecting its rotation, said coupling nipples being spaced approximately 60 apart,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,489,739 4/1924 Chisholm 222-328 X 2,684,788 7/1954 Bland 222-668 X 2,906,438 9/1959 Carpenter 222177 3,016,809 1/1962 McNeil 94-46 3,026,780 3/1962 Stein 94-44 3,029,714 4/1962 Creswell 94-44 3,076,653 2/1963 Ekman 222177 X CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

20 LOUIS J. DEMBO, JACOB L. NACKENOFF,

Examiners. 

6. ROAD SURFACING APPARATUS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A WHEEL SUPPORTED CHASSIS HAVING A FRONT END, AN AGGREGATE CARRYING RECEPTACLE ON SAID CHASSIS AND HAVING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED OUTLET, MEANS BELOW SAID OUTLET FOR RECEIVING AGGREGATE FROM SAID OUTLET AND EJECTING THE AGGREGATE FORWARDLY IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE CHASSIS AND DOWNWARDLY ONTO AN UNDERLYING ROAD SURFACE, A WHEEL SUPPORTED BY THE CHASSIS ADJACENT TO THE FRONT THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH AN UNDERLYING ROADWAY AT A LOCATION FORWARDLY OF AND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE AGGREGATE EJECTING MEANS, TO BE ROTATED BY CONTACT WITH THE ROADWAY DURING FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE APPARATUS, FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MECHANISM SUPPORTED BY SAID CHASSIS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID WHEEL FOR EFFECTING SAID MOVEMENT OF SAID WHEEL IN ONE DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE UNDERLYING ROADWAY, SPRING OPERATED OTHER MECHANISM SUPPORTED BY SAID CHASSIS AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID WHEEL FOR EFFECTING SAID MOVEMENT OF SAID WHEEL IN A REVERSE DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE UNDERLYING ROADWAY, AND MECHANISM OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID WHEEL WITH SAID AGGREGATE EJECTING MEANS BY WHICH THE AGGREGATE EJECTING MEANS IS MADE OPERATIVE BY SAID WHEEL WHEN THE LATTER IS ROTATED BY ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ROADWAY. 